N/A
N=72
Using Neuroeconomics to Characterize State-Based Increases and Decreases in Alcohol Value
Alcohol Use Disorder · Alcohol Drinking
Bottom Line
View on ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04067765 ↗Enrolled (actual)
72
Serious AEs
0.0%
Results posted
Sep 2025
Primary outcome: Primary: Alcohol Demand Intensity — 7.42; 7.85 Drinks
Study Design & Population
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- N/A
- Interventions
- Cue Exposure (Behavioral)
- Age
- Adult · 21+ yrs
- Sex
- All
- Sponsor
- McMaster University
- Primary completion
- Dec 2023
Outcome Measures
| Outcome | Result | p-value |
|---|---|---|
| PRIMARY Alcohol Demand Intensity |
7.42; 7.85 | — |
| PRIMARY Alcohol Demand Breakpoint |
28.77; 32.48 | — |
| PRIMARY Alcohol Demand Omax |
49.54; 60.63 | — |
| PRIMARY Alcohol Demand Elasticity |
0.006; 0.003 | — |
| SECONDARY Alcohol Craving |
19.72; 27.99 | — |
Summary
This study uses techniques from an area of research known as neuroeconomics, which integrates concepts and methods from psychology, neuroscience, and economics to better understand how people make decisions and how these decisions are supported by the brain. One neuroeconomic concept that is especially relevant in the area of addictions is substance demand, or how consumption of a commodity (e.g., alcohol, tobacco, or drugs) is influenced by price and other factors. Previous studies have shown that alcohol demand is related to severity of alcohol misuse, drinking quantity/frequency, and treatment outcomes. In addition, we know that alcohol demand can also fluctuate in response to environmental cues such as alcohol-related stimuli or external contingencies such as important responsibilities the following day. These increase and decreases in consumption and value are clinically significant because they help us understand how people with alcohol use disorders are able to successfully or unsuccessfully modulate their drinking behaviors. This study is examining how the brain responds in these situations and whether these responses differ as a function of severity of alcohol misuse. This study will use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to understand brain activity patterns associated with changes in the value of alcohol in the presence of alcohol-related beverage cues relative to neutral-related beverage cue. Participants will be non-treatment-seeking adult heavy drinkers who are recruited from the community to participate in an fMRI scan. During the scan, participants will make decisions about how many alcohol beverages they would consume (hypothetically) at various prices while their brain activity during those decisions is measured. The experimental manipulation involves an in-scanner alcohol cue exposure task in which the drinking decisions will be made after viewing high-quality images of alcoholic (beer/wine/liquor) beverages or neutral (water/juice/soft drinks) beverages.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- 21-55 years old;
- Right-handed;
- Fluent English speaker;
- Heavy drinker (i.e., on average > 14/7 drinks per week for males/females in past three months;
- Average of 1 heavy drinking episode weekly (heavy drinking episode = 5+/4+ for males/females) over past three months
Exclusion Criteria
- Currently receiving treatment, or seeking treatment, for alcohol related problems;
- Current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) substance use disorder other than alcohol or tobacco;
- Weekly or more frequent use of recreational drugs;
- History of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder, or PTSD;
- History of neurocognitive disorder or impairment;
- MRI contraindications (e.g., metal in body, history of seizure, etc.);
- History of serious brain injury;
- Currently taking psychotropic medications or medications that could affect cerebral blood flow;
- Pregnancy (females);
- Attending any study session with a positive breath alcohol concentration (BrAC > 0.00g%)
Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04067765). Outcome figures and adverse-event rates are extracted automatically from the registry's posted results and are provided for clinician reference, not as a substitute for the primary publication.